‘Our children need the best educators – because they are our future’, says JICS director

OISE’s Dr. Clare Kosnik, Director of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) – the world’s top lab school – has won the Dr. Ruth Wong Visiting Professorship in Teacher Education from the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore for her work in teacher education.

“I'm incredibly honoured to receive this award,” said Kosnik. “It validates the importance of studying teacher education which in so many ways is an under-researched area,” she said.

“Ruth Wong is a true example of an educator who understood the complexity of teaching and learning. Receiving such a prestigious award from NIE, one of the world leaders in education, means so much,” she continued.

Kosnik was nominated for the award by Dr. Lin Goodwin, Vice Dean at Teachers College, Columbia University, for her outstanding contributions to research on teacher education.

JICS Principal Richard Messina said the recognition is well-deserved.

“We at JICS are so pleased and proud that Dr. Clare Kosnik is receiving this honour. Her research in teacher education is making an outstanding impact on future teachers and the next generation of learners.”

Incredible opportunity

Kosnik accepted the award in Singapore at the2017 Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference, themed, Education for the Future: Creativity, innovation, Values.

While in Singapore, Kosnik met with teachers, education officials and members of the NIE leadership to share findings from her extensive research on multiple aspects of teacher education.

She also delivered two keynote addresses, including The Value of a Shared Vision and “Space” in TeacherEducation.

“Presenting my keynote address was an incredible opportunity. It allowed me to disseminate my work more broadly plus engage in dialogue with some of the leading researchers on education,” she said.

Largest longitudinal study of teachers

Kosnik said receiving the award inspires her to continue working on the largest longitudinal study of teachers ever conducted, and examine “the impact of the changing political context on teacher educators”.

“Knowing that others are interested in my work energizes me to continue to give voice to those who play an incredibly important role in society – teachers and teacher educators. Our children need the best educators because they are our future,” she said.

Background: Dr. Ruth Wong Visiting Professorship in Teacher Education

The purpose of the visiting professorship is to enhance the teacher education experience and expertise within NIE and the Singapore teaching community, while also increasing cooperation and activities between NIE, the teaching network in Singapore and the international education community.

Typical areas of contribution by the visiting professor include giving advice on curriculum development and teacher education research, conducting lectures and seminars, and community engagement activities.